1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, apparatus, and computer-readable recording medium for recognizing a fingerprint.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Recently, a variety of additional functions using personal information, such as mobile banking, in addition to a communication function, such as a phone call or text message transmission service, are provided through a mobile communication terminal. Thus, the importance of a locking device for a mobile communication terminal has prominently emerged.
Most prior art locking devices applied to the mobile communication terminal use passwords. Specifically, a lock device is applied to a local call function, alternate functions, or an international call function, and in order to use these functions, a user is prompted for a password.
However, the password paradigm has limitations in that the locking device is useless when the password is known to others and the subsequent necessity of periodically changing the password to ensure security, upon the password being compromised, is needed, and wherein the user forgets the password altogether.
Accordingly, in order to circumvent these limitations and to enhance the locking effect, a terminal equipped with a locking device using a fingerprint has been developed.
In order to mount such a fingerprint recognition apparatus on a small mobile communication terminal, a sensor for the fingerprint recognition apparatus should be minimized. Thus, a sliding-type fingerprint recognition sensor has been developed in which a user can allow his/her fingerprint to be recognized by sliding his/her finger on the sensor having the form of a laterally extending bar.
In general, fingerprint recognition is performed when a user slides his/her finger in one direction, for example, by holding his/her mobile communication terminal in his/her hand and then sliding his/her finger downward.
Accordingly, if the mobile communication terminal is upside down, the user should turn the mobile communication terminal right-side up (i.e., upright) before performing the fingerprint recognition procedure.